A multi-disciplinary research and developmental collaborative program project is proposed between faculty at Southern University at Baton Rouge (SUBR) and faculty at the NIEHS Center for Environmental Toxicology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). The overall goal of this partnership is to foster long-term formal collaborations between the two institutions for the purposes of increasing scientific productivity and establishing a group of Souther University investigators who cam compete successfully for NIH R01 funding in environmental health sciences. In order to accomplish this goal, SUBR is requesting five-year funding to support the following initiatives: (1) the development of a multi-disciplinary collaborative research program focused on understanding the molecular, cellular and organismal mechanisms of butadiene toxicity. Butadiene, an environmental chemical, is a know mutagen and probable human carcinogen, and is one of the most common pollutants in petrochemical industrial areas, some of which are located in both Louisiana and Texas. The three pilot projects proposed by investigators on the SUBR campus will be directly related to the three research projected proposed by scientists at UTMB. The planned research collaborations will allow the exchange of samples and ideas between SUBR and UTMB investigators, facilitating the efficient acquisition and correlation of research information. (2) The enhancement of the feasibility and efficiency of attaining research productivity by sustaining and developing facility core units that will provide equipment or service to the proposed projects. (3) The development of an administrative and planning core unit that will be responsible for managing the program, as well as planning developmental activities needed to facilitate the acquisition of R01 grants by SUBR investigators. (4) Effectively increase the number of NIH R01- level scientists at Southern University, through the recruitment of new faculty with a strong record of obtaining research project grants in environmental health sciences. The overall outcome of this collaborative program will be increased scientific development, productivity, and ability of SUBR investigators to successfully compete for NIH R01 funding in environmental health sciences.